


a secret kept close to the heart (someday you'll know)

by brouhahas



Series: all is fair in love and war [1]
Category: Shin Sangokumusou | Dynasty Warriors
Genre: Can be a Reader-Insert, F/M, I guess???, Romance, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:35:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24958477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brouhahas/pseuds/brouhahas
Summary: Ren Xia should've known better than to make a bet with Sima Zhao--especially when it involves Jia Chong.(This can be read as a Reader-Insert too.)
Relationships: Implied Jia Chong/ Original Female Character, Jia Chong/Original Female Character, Sīmǎ Zhāo/Wáng Yuánjī
Series: all is fair in love and war [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806421
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	a secret kept close to the heart (someday you'll know)

It could’ve been the merry clinks of cups, the wonderful smoothness of drink and the spreading warmth. It could’ve been the raucous laughter, the slamming of hands on wood, booming and beckoning. It could’ve been the wide smiles and good-natured eye-rolls, the “no ways” and ‘’yeah rights.” There were many reasons on this night of celebration and comradery for Ren Xia to feel boastful.

“Swifter than the swiftest hare, lighter than the lightest breeze, more graceful than the great Zhang He himself!” She teetered with every bow and grand gesticulation. Her wine sloshed from her cup but neither Xia nor those seated at their tables around her took notice.

“And what of your swiftness and lightness and grace?” Zhong Hui sneered, “What good is it against the brilliance of a well-thought strategy?” Clearly the sweetness of the wine could not overpower his sourness—especially when in the company of Deng Ai. The aforementioned was not put off at all by Hui; the gruff man even nodded slightly in agreement.

Feigning offence, Xia whirled around and nearly spilled droplets onto Zhuge Dan (he had enough sense to scoot away, scowling and swiping at her with a napkin). “Oh dear Lord Hui, you may be one of the sharpest tools in the shed, but I’m afraid you’re missing the point!” She threw her arms back in obnoxious drunkenness, ignoring Dan’s cry of outrage as this time all her wine splashed towards him, and exclaimed:

“I will outpace any messenger you send, any march you plan. If you think yourself sneaky, then I’m afraid I’m sneakier! Like a whisper, I’m there and gone—your secrets stolen without a trace. I float like a butterfly, but I’ll sting like a bee. No matter how far ahead you plan, I will be two, three steps in front!”

Hui’s brow twitched vigorously in annoyance and he quickly opened his mouth to refute. He stopped short when he heard a howl of laughter from the head table. With his head thrown back and shoulders shaking, Sima Zhao nearly toppled out of his seat if it weren’t for Wang Yuanji’s vigilant eye. His lady firmly tugged him back with an exasperated sigh, but did not deter him from raising his goblet. In hindsight, perhaps she would’ve if she knew the words that would escape his lips in the next few moments.

"Your skills in the last battle definitely helped turn the tides,” Zhao said and then leaned forward grinning, “But how about we make a bet to really prove how good you are?”

“I never back down from a challenge. I accept!”

Zhao’s grin became downright mischievous, the gears in his brain turning up a plan not even Yuanji could’ve suspected him capable of making while sober, let alone inebriated. “Jia Chong has a secret, and if you can find out what it is without being caught, I’ll bring you one of Shi’s coveted meat buns. If you fail, then you’re doing my work for an entire week.”

Despite her bravado and the roar of astonished laughter that rose from those that heard Zhao’s bet, Xia’s spirit wavered with dread. Her body stiffened slightly as she felt a piercing stare directed at her. She couldn’t bring herself to acknowledge it. However, like a gift from the heavens, Yuanji suddenly jabbed Zhao with her elbow. Her usually composed expression contorted into mild annoyance.

“It is rude to involve others in your personal wagers, Zhao,” she admonished, “I’m sure both Chong and Shi will object to your childishness. And you _cannot_ shirk your responsibilities.”

“Relax, Yuanji,” Zhao replied breezily, ignoring the pain in his side, “What Shi doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, Chong can stop Xia if he really doesn’t want her to know.”

“That is not the point—“ Yuanji started, however a voice suddenly stopped her.

Having remained quiet and peacefully enjoying his meal since the start of the banquet, Chong seemed like the perfect picture of poise. Those who knew him knew well that he would not hesitate to strike down bad ideas—completely stupid ones especially—even if it came from one of the Simas. Everyone had expected the cold advisor to scold Zhao with harsh, biting words. Perhaps it was heavenly judgment for Xia’s shameless boasting when he said this instead:

“I do not mind, Yuanji. I will gladly accept this challenge.”

“That settles it then,” Zhao said triumphantly and raised his cup again, “Let’s drink to seal the deal!” He didn’t have to say it twice for those around them to partake in further inebriation. As suddenly as it began, everyone else seemed to move on with the festivities, Xiahou Ba garnering most of the attention by egging others for an impromptu arm wrestle. Distantly Xia registered Yuanji facepalming in response to whatever Zhao whispered in her ear.

Xia was certain that her face was no longer flushed and had taken on a sickly pallor. She could hardly stutter out a reply when Hui shoved a jar of wine towards her. “Let me assist in refilling your cup,” he jeered. No doubt, he was already sure she would fail. Despite her instincts warning her not to, Xia’s eyes flicked towards Chong. Her heart nearly stopped when she realized he was still looking at her. The thoughts behind his intense stare were inscrutable.

Without a word, Xia snatched the jar from Hui’s hands and drank straight from it. Perhaps in the morning, her memories would be hazy enough for her to forget her foolishness.

* * *

Xia woke the next day full of regret.

She struggled out of bed, head pounding as if someone was using her brain as a punching bag. Opening her eyes was equally painful; sunlight, color, even the slightest movement of looking for the water jug she kept on her bedside, overstimulated her eyes. However, none of that compared to the trepidation she felt at hearing someone knock on her door. Thoughts whirled a mile a minute as she wondered who it could be. Maybe she could pretend that she was still asleep and they’ll just go away?

The knocking continued, getting more and more insistent the longer she waited. Xia huffed. Whoever it was, they had no intent on leaving her to suffer in peace. With dragging steps, Xia finally opened the door. She blinked sluggishly when she found Zhao standing before her. He looked no worse for wear despite drinking half his weight last night—inwardly Xia envied the perks of being a six foot giant. Standing just behind him was Yuanji. Judging by the frown and crossed arms, her morning was filled with an equal amount of headaches, possibly all Zhao’s fault.

“Morning Xia, I was beginning to think you were ignoring me.”

“Whatever gave you that impression Zhao—perhaps the fact that I am suffering from a massive hangover?” Xia replied dryly.

Zhao laughed, “I’ll get straight to the point then. I hope you didn’t forget about our wager? The sun is up and you have until before the sun sets to complete your task.”

“You can’t be serious,” Xia groaned, “Did you really think I was going to go through with it?”

“Wow Xia, I didn’t take you as the type of person to back out on their word,” Zhao said with mock surprise. He turned to Yuanji, shrugging his shoulders. “I suppose we should go tell Chong that Xia wasn’t up for the challenge after all. Such a shame really, he seemed pretty eager.”

To Xia’s astonishment, after closing her eyes and letting out a longsuffering sigh, Yuanji replied, “Yes my lord. It is unfortunate Xia isn’t up to the task after all. Chong would not be pleased to hear this after taking time from his day to prepare, but we must respect Xia’s wishes.” They made to leave and shared a look when their backs were turned. Any moment, the guilt would be too much for Xia to bear. Zhao knew from firsthand experience that words of disappointment from Yuanji could force almost anyone to do anything.

“Ah—wait, wait. Fine. I’ll do it if it really means so much.” Xia had to force the words out. She had made such a big fool of herself last night. And if she wanted to save face in front of her superior and peers (any who remembered, anyway), she’ll just have to buck up and accept the consequences of her bigheadedness. No matter how terrifying the thought of _stealing secrets_ from the kingdom’s resident _spymaster_ is.

“That’s great to hear!” Zhao smacked her on the back.

Xia chuckled nervously, “So what exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Well, my good friend, I’ve hidden a note somewhere near Chong’s quarters. All you have to do is find it and repeat the information back to me without getting detained. I’ll be even more impressed if you can do it without being seen at all.”

“Hold on, what do you mean by ‘detained’??” Xia was quick to ask. She could feel her anxiety building up. She couldn’t vouch for Chong, but Zhao wouldn’t be cruel enough to let anything bad happen, right?

Her commander gave a flippant wave, “Who knows? I’ve left that detail for Chong to handle. Just don’t get caught and you’ll be fine.” He punctuated with a laugh.

Finding no comfort in his easy-going attitude, Xia glanced at Yuanji. At least she could always rely on the other woman to be a force of reason. Sensing her plight, Yuanji returned Xia’s glance with a small nod. “Just think of this as a military exercise.”

The tension in Xia’s shoulders relaxed at that. Military exercises weren’t scary at all. It sometimes proved to be quite a fun experience, learning and bonding with her fellow soldiers. And more importantly, there wouldn’t be any detrimental consequences for failure. If only it wasn’t a matchup against one of the scariest officers she’s ever met.

“Well, I think that covers everything,” Zhao said with a note of finality, “The game starts for real when you’re actively looking for the note, so take time to prepare beforehand.”

After Xia quietly closed the door to her room to get ready for the day, Zhao and Yuanji went on their merry way. The pair walked in silence, though Zhao knew Yuanji had plenty to say. He wasn’t surprised when she stopped, a pensive look marring her features.

“I don’t think it is right for us to meddle in other people’s personal matters,” she said, “We are being quite unfair.”

Zhao turned around and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t worry so much, Yuanji. Trust me, I know those two. This will all turn out well.”

He nudged her forwards, and they were walking side-by-side once more. The pensive look did not leave Yuanji’s face, but she remained quiet. Zhao’s mind was made up, and there was little else she could say to change it. At the very least, she could only put her faith in Zhao and hope he knew what he was doing.

In the distance, the stables came into sight. A peon waved at them once the pair was spotted, two horses packed with supplies already waiting for them.

* * *

“What have you gotten yourself into,” Xia muttered to herself.

After washing up, filling her grumbling belly with breakfast, and finding some remedy to ease her headache, Xia disguised herself as one of the maids and quickly set to work scouting the area. The section of the base where Chong resided was usually quiet at this time. Most of the people were either holed away in various rooms with their scrolls and letters or over at the training grounds. Occasionally, she would pass by another servant or peon, but they would hardly acknowledge her—she was practically unrecognizable without her usual armor, hair adornments, and makeup. They’d go about their way too focused on their own tasks to pay any attention to just another maid.

It was not difficult at all to walk around unnoticed.

Nevertheless, Xia still had to figure out where Zhao could’ve stashed the note. Even though he had said it was “around Chong’s quarters,” Xia knew he actually meant it was in his room. After all, if she were at an actual enemy base, the enemy officers definitely wouldn’t be leaving confidential information lying around in public spaces.

While pretending to sweep the hallway, Xia discovered to her relief that Chong was not in his chambers. She had worried that Chong would be lurking in the area, waiting to ambush her, but a passing conversation between two servants confirmed that he was currently with Dan. The two were probably discussing solutions to some of the problems the peasants were facing. She had no idea how long they were in meeting, but this would be the most opportune time to break in.

Steeling her nerves, Xia quickly looked around to make sure there were no witnesses and slipped inside. As soon as she closed the door behind her, a chill ran down her back despite the warm weather. Nervously, her eyes darted around the room. She felt as if she had just entered the lion’s den. It was so silent in the room that she could hear her own blood rushing in her ear. Xia tensed when she heard footsteps out in the hall, but relaxed when they passed by the door, growing quieter and quieter the further they went.

As expected, Chong’s living quarters were immaculate. Scanning the room, Xia ignored the most obvious place: his desk. A man in Chong’s position was always writing and receiving messages from his spies, but knowing Zhao, he wouldn’t have hidden it there.

Zhao is notoriously easygoing to a fault, but he is also a member of the Sima clan. He could be crafty if he really put his mind to it, and Xia had no expectations for him to go easy on her if it meant he could skip out on work for a week. She went around the perimeter of the room, checking shelves and cabinets. She paid special attention to the placements of objects, careful not to make it obvious that it had been moved.

Despite the circumstances, Xia couldn’t help but feel curious. What sorts of things does the cool and mysterious Jia Chong keep as his personal effects? Everything she had gone through seemed so impersonal, like standard furnishing provided at an inn. They fought and trained together, but Xia really didn’t know much about him. She found herself wanting to bridge the gap, though she didn’t want to admit why.

“Focus,” she reprimanded herself quietly, “Chong could be coming back any second. I must find the note.”

Her search around the living room proved fruitless, and so she set her sights towards his bedroom. Lifting and prodding around the mattress, pillows, and bedframe, she once again found nothing. The cabinets and closets held nothing notable (just clothes and books) and there was nothing hidden behind the weapons and paintings that hung on the walls.

A small bedside table caught her eye, but Xia hesitated. This was where most people would keep their most intimate belongings. Somehow it felt wrong to snoop in there.

But her pride hung on the line.

Xia really didn’t want to lose this stupid bet because she knew Hui would use it as more fuel to insult her with. No doubt, he would never let her hear the end of it after all her posturing the night before. And even worse, she feared Chong would think less of her if she failed. With that in mind, she forced away any misgivings and opened the drawer.

The contents were lackluster—just a bundle of personal letters (Xia quickly averted her eyes to stop herself from reading after realizing it was from his relatives), small ointments and bundles of medicine for common ailments, and a spare whetstone. Xia put back the whetstone, frustration building when there was nothing underneath. But as she did so, a curious sound caught her attention. Puzzled, she knocked on the bottom of the drawer. It was hollow.

Excited, Xia took out the contents of the drawer and pressed around the edges. She eventually managed to pry the bottom loose. Inside there was only a small wrapped bundle.

_What a strange way to hide a note, Zhao._

Xia pulled aside the fabric and stared.

This wasn’t a note. It was her hairpin.

The same hairpin she thought she had lost in the heat of battle months ago. She had taken a particularly harsh blow to the head, and it was only after they dragged their weary bodies back to camp that she realized it was gone. It had been a gift from her family—her constant companion in many battles up to that point. At the time, she was saddened to have lost a piece of home.

Her pin must have snapped in half when she was hit, but now it seems to have been repaired. In fact, it was in better condition than when she had it.

“Why…?” Her cheeks suddenly felt warm and she became hyperaware of her heartbeat. Her brain successfully short -circuited as she tried to understand why Chong of all people would have this.

And then the horror set in.

This wasn’t a note. Zhao did not put this here. This was _not_ part of the bet.

She just invaded Chong’s privacy. It didn’t matter why he had her hairpin—she shouldn’t have found it. She shouldn’t have _actually_ discovered a secret!

Panicking, Xia shoved the hairpin and everything else back into the drawer and went into the living room.

 _Shit, shit, shit!_ What should she do? Should she confront him?

She paced back and forth around the room, biting at her nails. By chance, she looked at his desk.

Sitting on top of a neat pile of scrolls was an inconspicuous scrap of paper. Picking it up for closer inspection, she saw that Zhao had signed the outside.

“Are you kidding me?! I’m a fucking idiot. An imbecile. The biggest imbecile in all of China.” She mussed her hair, both annoyed and exasperated. Did Zhao really outwit her? Did he already expect her to think his hiding spot too obvious? Had he planned to psyche her out so that she spent too much time searching? Or had Chong placed it there for her to easily find? The more she thought about it, the more frazzled she felt.

She shivered again, goose bumps running down her arms.

Chong’s meeting with Dan must be wrapping up soon—how much time had she wasted? Not wanting to stay here any longer, Xia snatched the note and quickly scurried out. In her haste, she forgot to check her surroundings. If she had waited just a moment longer, she would’ve seen Dan leaving his quarters with Ai, the two still in deep conversation about their meeting.

* * *

Once she found a deserted courtyard far from Chong’s quarters, Xia plopped down on a nearby bench. Ever since she discovered the hairpin, her heart wouldn’t stop racing. With shaking fingers, Xia took out the note she stashed in her robes. She was still mortified by her earlier mistake and really didn’t want to find out what kind of embarrassing secret Zhao was going to disclose.

Nevertheless, a bet's a bet, and the sooner she proved to Zhao she had found it, the sooner she could forget everything.

_Jia Chong loves to drink freshly-squeezed fruit juice._

She let out a huff of incredulous laughter. She should’ve known. Zhao wouldn’t actually throw one of his most trusted officers under a horse. Relief flooded her—how silly of her to stress out so much about this. The ‘secret’ turned out to be quite cute, but inconsequential, in the end.

In fact, this whole ordeal turned out easier than she expected. A little _too_ easy. Where was Chong? She figured she would’ve seen him at least once.

Shaking those thoughts away, Xia got up. It didn’t matter where he was as long as he didn’t find her. She headed towards the library, procuring a tea tray on her way there from Guo Huai (the poor man didn’t notice at all since he had dozed off while enjoying his tea in the garden). Usually at this time of day, Zhao would be holed up in the library under Yuanji’s watchful eye as he reviewed policies or approved plans. To the unsuspecting eye, Xia looked like a simple maid bringing refreshments to the master and his lady.

However, she nearly dropped the tray when she found Hui surrounded by scrolls instead.

Her faltering steps alerted him to her presence and he looked up.

“Leave it on the table,” he said curtly, before returning to his reading.

“Y-yes my Lord.” She quickly placed the tray before him and bowed. She made to leave quickly, but froze at the doorway when she heard a slam.

“Did you get lost, girl? This tea is cold!”

Reluctantly, she turned around. Hui glared at her, one of the teacups knocked over carelessly.

“You must be daft to think this is acceptable to serve. I did not work to get to my position only to be fed garbage.”

“I am sorry my Lord,” Xia said through gritted teeth, “It was a mistake. I did not mean to offend you.” She bowed again to keep her face hidden.

Hui scoffed, “Get this out of my sight. Clearly a task as simple as this is too much for you. I suggest you find someone to teach you—if you are even capable of learning.”

“Yes. Sir.” Xia had half a mind to clock him for his rudeness. At least with his haughty attitude, he found her too repulsive to look at now.

Xia picked up the tray and started to leave the library once more, but she stopped in her tracks again when another maid slipped through the doorway.

“My apologies for the delay, Master Hui. I have brought you your tea—oh!” The young woman looked at Xia with surprise. “Did someone send you?”

Hui looked up and narrowed his eyes. Why were two maids sent? Actually, now that he looked at them, he realized the woman who had just served him tea was not the same one who had stopped by earlier. In fact, he didn’t recognize her at all amongst the many servants employed at the base. “Who are you,” he snarled, getting up from his seat, “Is this some sort of plot?”

“Um.” Xia’s eyes darted between the increasingly agitated Hui and concerned maid. Not knowing what to do, she charged at the maid. The young woman shrieked as Xia shoved her tray into her, causing the maid to spill hot tea from her own. Shards and liquid exploded everywhere when the pots and cups smashed into the ground. She sped out into the hallway, already hearing fast approaching footsteps as people came to investigate the commotion.

“I’m so sorry!” Xia called back at the maid, who was crouching on the floor gingerly holding her arm close to her chest.

After navigating around the minefield of shards and briefly checking the maid to make sure she hadn’t been fatally wounded, the young strategist burst out into the hallway, looking this way and that. Unfortunately, the interloper had escaped. He cursed and was about to storm off to the barracks to gather a group of soldiers to scour the base and surrounding areas when a firm grip on his shoulder stopped him.

“I’ll handle this,” Chong said calmly, “I know where she’s going next.”

“Tch, and let you take all the credit?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m only going after Xia.”

Hui was taken aback (why was that buffoon dressed like a maid?) before it dawned on him. How could he have forgotten about that stupid bet from last night?

“Don’t tell me that idiot actually managed to get the better of you,” he sneered. “I expected much more from you of all people.”

“Thank you for your concern,” Chong replied, “but the game has hardly begun.” He walked off at a leisurely pace, not waiting to hear what else Hui had to say.

Annoyed but not surprised, Hui turned his attention back to the crowd of servants that had gathered while they spoke. He waved them away after ordering them to clean up the mess and to provide treatment for the injured maid. No longer alarmed about a possible intruder, Hui returned to his studies. He’ll find out the outcome of their game later.

* * *

Meanwhile, Xia was nestled high up in a tree, hidden from sight behind the luscious leaves and thick branches. The servants were scurrying around, gossip about the library incident already spreading.

“Poor Huamei! To think something like this could happen in broad daylight.”

“Master Hui does not seem bothered though. Perhaps there’s nothing to worry about?”

“Of course there isn’t, Master Chong said he would handle it after all. Still, we should be careful…who knows where that troublemaker could be?”

Eventually, her surroundings quieted. What a mess— Xia was definitely going to have to properly apologize to the maid later, and hoped the woman wasn’t burned badly.

It was strange that Zhao and Yuanji were not in the library. Ever since Yuanji was appointed as Zhao’s official supervisor, they had stuck to a general routine for Zhao’s daily activities. This deviation from their schedule troubled her. Nevertheless, if they weren’t in the library, surely they would be in his personal compound?

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” she thought.

Peeking through the leaves and branches, she saw that the coast was clear. Like a cat, Xia maneuvered her way down, landing with a quiet crunch. She checked over herself to make sure a stray leaf or twig hadn’t gotten caught on her hair or clothes. As she did that, she noticed the ends of her robes were wet. Fortunately, she didn’t suffer any injuries from earlier (although she was feeling a little nauseous—a side effect of her hangover and stress).

After that library fiasco, the other maids and peons would definitely be more alert. It appears Chong has caught wind of her too, so she must keep her guard up. She’ll have to make it to Zhao’s room without being seen at all.

While she may have been exaggerating during the banquet, it was true that she was nimble. And now was the time to prove it. Keeping her ear alert to the slightest noise, Xia dashed down hallways and through courtyards, using the natural growth of bushes and trees or architectural structures like pillars and statues to stay hidden. Her small stature aided in keeping her steps light and almost silent, and she was able to fit in unlikely places when a passing servant came too close for comfort. At times, she thought she would lose her cover, but her journey continued uneventfully. The closer she got to Zhao’s room, the more uneasy she felt.

The voice in the back of her mind grew louder and louder. _Where’s Chong?_

It was already afternoon, and she had not seen him at all.

Eventually, Xia entered the compound, walked across a beautifully kept garden, and stood in front of Zhao’s door. The maids should have finished cleaning the rooms by now, so for the moment there shouldn’t be any risk of anyone passing by the surrounding corridors. She raised her fist to knock, but thought better of it. Instead, she crept around until she could find a window. Carefully, she poked a small hole through the screen and peeked inside. As she feared, the main room was empty—or so she thought.

A flicker of movement caught her eye, but from her vantage point she couldn’t see it clearly. She slowly backed away as an intense feeling of foreboding welled up inside her. An almost silent rush of air came towards her and she ducked on instinct. The object sliced through the window from inside the room, coming to a stop with a loud thunk behind her. Xia stared in stunned horror at the very familiar axe imbedded deep into a tree trunk. There was a soft crunch, so she snapped her head back towards the broken window. Behind the ripped screen and wrecked wooden frame stood a smirking Chong.

“You almost hit me!” Still crouched, she didn’t even try to keep up the disguise of a meek maid.

“It’s a good thing you have quick reflexes then, isn’t it?”

“Zhao promised you wouldn’t maim,” she lied lamely.

Chong chuckled—his deep baritone sent a shiver down her spine. “Funny, I don’t remember anything about that.”

Paling, Xia did whatever came to mind first: she grabbed a large piece of splintered wood in front of her and chucked it at his face before darting off as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn’t have to look behind her to know that Chong had vaulted out the window to give chase.

Desperately, Xia tried to control her panic. Zhao wasn’t in his quarters and Chong was intent on treating her like an enemy officer. She knew not to expect Chong to pull his punches, but she really didn’t think he’d _throw an axe at her._ Where the hell was Zhao?!

She squeaked when another axe whizzed by her, cutting a strand of her hair and forcing her to make a sudden turn down a corridor. To her dismay, it appeared to be a dead end—however a couple of boxes caught her eye. Without breaking pace, she launched herself at it, using the boxes as a step for her to leap upwards. Her fingers barely managed to grab onto the edge of the wall, and she scrambled to pull herself up and over. Once she hit the ground, she took off again, taking as many turns around corners as she could. She paid no mind to the people she startled as she passed. At this point all Xia cared about was putting as much distance between her and Chong as she could before finding somewhere safe to collect herself.

In one of the courtyards she found herself in, there was a large sturdy tree whose big branches stretched towards the roof of the surrounding buildings. Looking around, Xia saw that she was alone and so she scaled up the tree, carefully crossing over the branches until her feet safely touched the tiled roof. Xia crouched and slowly moved to where two buildings met, its tiered roofing creating a small nook for her to hide between. Satisfied with her temporary shelter, Xia hugged her knees to her chest and breathed. She finally allowed herself to think about the situation once she caught her breath.

She had no idea what to do.

Zhao and Yuanji weren’t in the library and were nowhere to be seen in their compound. Clearly, they weren’t following their normal schedule today. At a loss, Xia wondered if they were at the training ground. If they were, then she was screwed because it was at the opposite end of the base. With Chong on the hunt, she doubted if she would even make it that far.

With a heavy sigh, she rested her head on her knees. Maybe she could just stay hidden here. Judging by the position of the sun, it was already late afternoon. In a couple of hours, the sun will go down, providing her more cover in the darkness. However, the darkness was a double-edged sword because it would hinder her senses and increase the chances of Chong sneaking up on her—she would also not have much time left to find Zhao before their bet ended. Shaking her head, Xia tossed that idea out. Waiting would just prolong the misery. She might as well shoot her shot now.

Resigned to her fate, Xia crept out of her hiding spot and looked over the edge. No sign of Chong. Pulling herself back, she decided to stick to traversing by rooftop. It wasn’t as convenient or easy to be silent, and she had to leap across gaps from time to time or swing from a tree, but at least people were less likely to look for her in the skies.

She made decent progress this way, the barracks and training grounds getting more visible the further she went. But of course, her luck would run out.

Out of nowhere a stone came hurtling at her. It hit her on the leg painfully, succeeding in startling her and causing her to lose her footing. A few tiles came loose and clattered to the ground as she slipped. Despite her efforts to cling to the roof, her body continued to tumble over the edge. Fortunately, she had been on top of an outdoor corridor so she didn’t fall a big distance. Nevertheless she was still stunned when she landed on her back.

A little ways away, she heard someone walking closer.

“Who are you and why were you on the roof? Are you the one causing a ruckus around here?”

Tossing another rock up and down in his hand, Ba stared at her with a frown on his face. “Hey, answer me. Did you hit your head too?”

Xia groaned and tried to refocus her vision. “It’s me Ba, I’m not a spy.”

Ba stilled his hand and squinted at her. “Xia? Why are you dressed like that? And skulking around? I hardly recognized you! You could’ve gotten into a lot of trouble that way.”

“I already am; I’m in the middle of a bet with Zhao,” she sighed, “You haven’t seen him around, have you?”

The young general shook his head. “Nope, sorry. He’s actually not at the base right now.”

“What?!”

“Yeah,” Ba said, startled at her outburst, “I saw him riding off with Yuanji this morning. Apparently they won’t be back until just before sunset.”

Xia felt an eye begin to twitch uncontrollably. This new information baffled her—if she was supposed to find Zhao to finish their bet, then why would he leave and come back after the bet was almost over?! That was totally cheating! She wanted to scream her frustration.

“You have got to be kidding me!”

Ba raised his hands to try and placate her. “Whoa! I don’t really know what’s going on right now, but you could probably catch them coming back if you wait by the stables.”

She opened her mouth to growl, but stopped. That actually wasn’t a bad idea. She could at least ambush him for all the trouble he’s caused.

“Thanks,” she said, dusting herself off and fixing her hair as she got up. “Do me a favor and don’t tell Chong you saw me, alright?”

“Okay,” Ba replied slowly, still confused. “He’s coming this way though.” Xia almost gave herself whiplash turning her head in the direction Ba indicated.

Sure enough, Chong was approaching from behind. When they locked eyes, his steady walk turned into a sprint.

A cry of terror escaped her lips as her fight or flight instincts kicked in, and she shoved past Ba, who squawked indignantly. The poor officer proved to be a handy meat shield preventing Chong from throwing his axe at her right away. Using whatever seconds of time she bought, Xia ran across the garden. She used her momentum to vault over a low wall and continued onwards down a different connecting corridor.

She chanced a glance behind and to her dismay, there were only a few meters between them, and the distance was only growing shorter. She should’ve known that no matter how hard she tried, her tired legs would not be able to beat his long strides. This whole situation was hopeless! How did she expect to win if Chong was already gaining on her and Zhao would not be at the base until a few more hours? Tears of frustration welled up.

This whole day _sucked_. She was so exhausted. After all, running and sneaking around all day would take a toll on anyone—and the fear of losing a limb if she wasn’t careful didn’t help either. Not to mention the whole thing with her hairpin and the confusing, weird butterflies she got every time she thought about Chong having it!

“You can run, but you’re not getting away, Xia,” Chong called after her. His voice sounded a lot closer than she expected, and there was a teasing note to it. Well, at least one of them was having fun.

“Don’t underestimate me!” Xia hollered back, desperately trying to put on a brave front. She yelped when a flash of metal whirled past her, its trajectory forcing her to stumble to a stop as it arched in front of her—barely nicking her in the arm—and whizzed back to Chong’s waiting hands like a boomerang.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, adrenaline pumping fiercely through her veins. He was right. She can’t outrun him.

Like a cornered wild animal, she’ll have to bare her teeth.

Xia swiveled around and hurtled towards Chong. His eyes widened a fraction, not expecting a direct fight.

A harsh clang rang out as metal met metal. Xia winced, a painful throbbing sensation crawled up her arm from the force of blocking Chong’s axe with her knife, but she maintained a firm grip. She was grateful she had the foresight to always keep a blade on her, but at the moment she wished she had her spear. Hand to hand combat was not something she excelled at, especially against Chong who outmatched her in both height and weight.

Wordlessly, Chong circled her while Xia watched his every move. There was a contemplative look on his face, as if he was appraising her. Slowly, she inched her left hand towards her sleeve where she had hidden another knife. Sensing her intent, Chong struck again. She tried to parry but the strength behind his attack knocked it out of her hand. Quickly, she drew the other knife and threw it at him in turn, but he dodged easily. That gave her the briefest opportunity to grab the knife that got knocked away and then charge at him again, attempting to slash at his stomach. They danced like this, twisting around each other with deadly intention. The metal of their blades singing as it sliced through the air.

Chong was smirking now, and Xia knew he was just toying with her. He suddenly threw both axes down, silencing their song with a dull thunk. The steady rhythm they had built shifting to a faster tempo as he rushed her with a flurry of strikes. As thankful as she was that he wouldn’t be cutting her to pieces—she sure as hell wasn’t going to return the favor. If she wanted to have the upperhand, she’ll have to hold on to her blade.

Xia let out a cry of pain when Chong deflected her swing and in a swift movement, had her arm twisted around her back. His grip on her wrist turned harsh, forcing her to drop the knife.

“Well, fuck,” she thought, “there goes that.”

Xia could feel the hard muscles of his chest and the way his arms wrapped around her body like a python. She thrashed around frantically trying to free herself from his iron hold, but each wild attempt only made his hold tighter. Through sheer luck, she managed to hit his knee with a rough kick, causing him to lose balance and loosen his grip. Xia stumbled forwards, panting harshly.

She was going to be subdued if this kept up. Her stamina wouldn’t hold out much longer.

She was going to have to change tactics.

“You really don’t know how to give up do you? I don’t know if I should call it bravery or stupidity,” Chong goaded, already regaining his composure.

Xia sprung away from him, making sure to stay out of his reach. She crouched low to the ground. It didn’t look like the other officer was going to rush her, so she took this moment to regain her breath. She quirked a lopsided smile and hoped he couldn’t see through her.

“What, am I too much for you to handle?”

“You’ve definitely exceeded my expectations,” Chong conceded, chuckling darkly, “but I’ve faced tougher opponents than you. For your sake, you should just give up.”

“Give me more credit—I’ll do whatever it takes to win!”

With that, Xia made her move. She sprinted forwards, pivoting on her foot to release a roundhouse kick. Chong’s eyes were focused on her leg and the hand holding the knife, so he noticed too late when she suddenly flung her other hand outward, letting fly a fistful of dirt into Chong’s face. While he recoiled—her sneak attack succeeding in blinding him—Xia quickly hooked her leg behind Chong’s and used his weight to slam him into the ground with an uncharacteristic _oof_.

Xia had no time to celebrate; instead she took this opportunity to flee.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have the strength to run far. As quickly as she could, Xia found an empty room and hid behind one of the pillars. She leaned her back against it, desperately willing her ragged breaths to even out. The room she had stumbled in appears to be a meeting room with a long table in the middle and chairs neatly lined along the sides. It didn’t look like it had been used recently; the walls and table were bare of any maps or scrolls. She probably didn’t have to worry about anyone walking in.

When Xia’s breathing finally calmed, she strained her ears to listen.

It was silent.

She peeked around the tall column and froze. Did she forget to close the door? Xia cursed and was about to creep out of her hiding spot when she felt the press of cool metal against her throat. A shiver ran down her spine as Chong’s breath brushed against her ear.

“Just so you’re aware, I’ll do whatever it takes to win too.”

She gasped when she was suddenly spun around; back hitting the pillar once more so that she was face-to-face with him. Before she could stop herself, Xia let out an amused snort when she got a good look at him. There were still some remnants of dirt dusted across his face, his eyes slightly red from the irritating particles. His hair, which was usually neatly brushed back, had several strands out of place. She had never seen the immaculate Jia Chong look so disheveled.

“You have some nerve to laugh at me,” he deadpanned, the grip on her shoulder tightening. He raised his other hand, and Xia closed her eyes instinctively.

This was it, she can’t run anymore. He’s going to knock her out and put her in a cell and do whatever he does to enemy spies. If she made it out in one piece, she vowed to raise hell against Zhao.

However, no swift blow to the head came.

Gently, she felt his fingers card through her hair, taking stray strands and pushing it back into place. Her heart started to race again, beating so quickly she thought it would suddenly stop. She could feel his hand pull away, but there was still a slight weight in her hair. Xia opened her eyes to stare at Chong. There was the faintest hint of a smile on his face.

“I had hoped to return it to you under different circumstances,” he said, voice soft, “but I suppose now that you know, this would be as good a time as any.”

Slowly, Xia touched her hair and felt the familiar shape of her hairpin tucked neatly into a bun.

Ah, so he knew she had found it.

Warmth spread across her cheeks and she hoped Chong wouldn’t notice. It was late afternoon now, edging on towards sunset, so the inside of the room had darkened enough for the shadows to blanket them.

“I… I’m confused,” she stammered, “Why did you have this? I thought I’d lost it for good.”

Chong stepped away from her, smirking. “That’s a secret for you to find another time.”

That cryptic answer did not satisfy her, but she didn’t have the courage to press further. “Well, thank you anyways,” Xia said, “For fixing it—and giving it back. It really means a lot to have this again.”

And like a switch had been flipped, tension eased out of her body. Chong similarly seemed to lose the predatory aura from before, his presence like that of a disinterested housecat and not a hungry tiger. It seems their little match was over.

“I suppose this means I lost,” Xia said, “Can’t say I didn’t expect this outcome, although you really had me thinking I’d come out a lot bloodier.” Her statement elicited a chuckle from him and she could feel the slightest flutter in her stomach at the pleasing sound.

“As much as I’d love to claim this victory, I’d say this bet was moot from the start. Although, I could knock you around for a bit if that’s what you want. Perhaps cut off a finger?”

“Not funny," she said flatly at his joke (at least she hoped he was joking), and then paused in thought. “Wait, did you know Zhao would leave the base?”

Chong shrugged, enigmatic as always. “I had a feeling that would happen.”

“Then why continue with the bet? Surely you had more important things to do,” Xia frowned, confused once again.

“Ai had already offered to take over my duties for the day,” Chong replied easily, “Besides, this proved a lot more entertaining than I thought. We should do this again sometime—you have a lot of potential for improvement.”

“O-only if you promise not to maim or cause irreparable emotional damage,” she stuttered, feeling flustered at his unexpected compliment. Otherwise, his offer didn’t sound too bad if it meant she could learn how he moved around so quickly and silently like a shadow. She supposed this whole day wasn’t an utter failure since she was reunited with her treasure (Xia refused to admit she was also intrigued by his earlier actions.)

“Hmph, is it really considered training if there isn’t any risk involved?” Xia caught the sadistic gleam in his eye and sighed. _Figures_.

Though, she was still pleasantly surprised at how less intimidating Chong seemed to be now. She didn’t know if it was because of the fact that he returned her beloved hairpin without much fuss about her snooping, or the fact that in the end, he really did go easy on her. She probably would’ve been offended if the sheer terror she felt when she thought he was going all out wasn’t still fresh in her mind. She shuddered—she didn’t want to imagine what it would be like if he was actually trying to kill her.

“So what now? Ba told me Zhao and Yuanji will be returning just after sunset.”

“We wait,” Chong said simply, before starting to walk away. He indicated with a slight tilt of his head for her to follow. “Even if this bet turned out to be a farce, we should still see it through ‘til the end.”

He didn’t have to tell her twice for her to quickly fall into step with him. “How admirable,” she said, and then prodded him with her elbow good-naturedly after deciding to test boundaries, “but c’mon, admit it. We’re going to drag Zhao through the dirt for making fools of us, right?”

* * *

Xia and Chong were seated beneath a large tree just a ways away from the stables. When they first arrived there, they were greeted by a very enthusiastic peon—apparently he was usually assigned as a stableman to care for the horses, and he had been the very same one to ready Zhao and Yuanji’s horses that morning. At Chong’s request, the peon had brought out a low table for them and gotten some servants to bring meat buns for the two of them. With all the excitement in the day, food had been the least of Xia’s worries, but now that everything had calmed down, her stomach wouldn’t stop growling. Ravenously she stuffed her face while Chong ate at a much slower pace, politely ignoring her bad manners.

Once satiated, Xia leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes. She could finally relax and let her tired muscles rest in peace. Chong likewise was sipping on a warm cup of tea, deep in thought. They sat together like this in companionable silence. Occasionally, Xia would peek at Chong in wonder—after all this time together serving under the Sima family, they had never shared a meal like this. It saddened her to think that there would have been more opportunities like this earlier if she hadn’t been so intimidated by him. Sure, he was scary and had no qualms about using ruthless, cold-hearted methods, but there was another layer to him that she was just starting to notice. When Chong glanced at her, she quickly shut her eyes, pretending unsuccessfully to not have been caught staring. She heard a soft snort of amusement, but the silence between them did not break.

The sun dipped past the horizon, but a warm orange glow still lit the sky by the time two horses were spotted galloping towards them in the distance. Wordlessly, they both stood up, dusting off their clothes of any dirt. As the galloping horses slowed into an easy trot, Xia started marching towards them. Zhao and Yuanji dismounted, the latter allowing the stableman to lead their horses away while Zhao turned to greet Xia and Chong. Whether or not he was surprised to see them here, he hid it well.

“I almost didn’t recognize you Xia. Who’s the unlucky maid you’ve stolen clothes from?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s not important.” Irritably, Xia waved Zhao’s question away. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, you unscrupulous cheat! How dare you send me on a wild goose chase? Do you know how exhausting it is to run around while Mr. Dark and Scary is after you?”

Zhao laughed, scratching the back of his head and not at all fazed by her finger jabbing. “I figured it would get a bit hectic, so I decided to take Yuanji out for a picnic.”

“A picnic?!” Xia exploded, her hands twitching as if she was thinking of strangling him. “What part of ‘find the info and bring it back’ means ‘go out of bounds to frolic in the woods without telling anyone’? You set me up for failure!”

At hearing Xia’s accusations, Yuanji had the decency to look guilty. Zhao on the other hand, continued to chuckle. That knucklehead really didn’t know when to take things seriously. Before Xia could attempt to make her thoughts reality, Chong held her back.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, the conditions of your wager are forfeit, Zhao. I expect you won’t be trying to avoid any of your responsibilities tomorrow?” he raised a brow at the other man, waiting.

“Sure, sure—ouch!” Zhao said flippantly before yelping when Yuanji elbowed him roughly in the side. She gave him a warning look.

“I’ll see to it that he does.”

Zhao rubbed his side, pouting slightly but he was so used to her treatment that he was back to his easygoing self soon enough. “So? Did you manage to find out Chong’s secret?” Zhao asked Xia with a cheeky grin.

Xia rolled her eyes and pulled out the slip of paper that miraculously hadn’t fallen out of her robes. “Yes, I did, Zhao. I could’ve won if _someone_ wasn’t a cheater. ” She flicked it at him haughtily and started to walk away. It’s been a long day and she wanted to take a bath and just pass out in her bed. “By the way,” she called back, half joking, “if you were going to cheat, you should’ve at least made it worth my while and written something juicier than _that_.”

Xia was well out of earshot when Zhao finally looked at the scrap.

“If you applied yourself this much on the battlefield, there’s no telling how many feats you could accomplish,” Chong said offhandedly as he too began walking away. “You should leave the plotting to me though—it suits me much better than you.”

Yuanji silently watched the two walk off before turning back to Zhao. “What’s wrong?” She asked when she noted the perplexed expression he sported, still staring at the note.

It took him a moment, but he finally tore his eyes away from its contents to look at her. “The handwriting is spot on, but I didn’t write this…” He handed her the note to inspect. “It’s a completely different message.”

Yuanji furrowed her brows. Indeed, this note said something completely different from what Zhao had shown her this morning. Though the handwriting was similar, she noted some slight discrepancies. Obviously, this had been forged.

As if falling to the same conclusion, they both looked at Chong’s retreating figure.

“My plan failed, Yuanji,” Zhao complained, visibly drooping. “I underestimated Chong. I didn’t think he would find and switch the notes.”

“Perhaps next time you should listen to me and keep your nose out of other people’s business,” Yuanji said. To Zhao’s confusion, she shook her head and continued speaking. “However, while your plan did not work out as you had anticipated, I believe the outcome is similar enough.”

Yuanji didn’t say it out loud, but she had immediately noticed the hairpin Xia wore. She remembered months ago, she had comforted the other woman over its disappearance—even offering to help get a replica made for her. But Xia had refused, stating it wouldn’t have the same meaning.

So why did she have one now? Was it the very same one she had lost? Who gave it to her?

Yuanji had a feeling she already knew the answer to her last question. After all, the maids around here did not adorn their hair with elaborate jewelry, and Xia had enough sense to not make a simple mistake like that if she was trying to blend in. To Zhao’s credit, he did succeed in setting _something_ in motion.

Only time will tell if anything more came of it.

“What do you mean?” Zhao probed, but Yuanji merely shook her head again, smiling mysteriously. She gently took his arm and prompted him to start moving. Together, they headed back to the compound.

**Author's Note:**

> Zhao tried to be a wing-man, bless his heart he really did. Unfortunately for him, Chong already caught on to his shenanigans and Xia/Reader is too dense to realize the obvious. The next chapter will be from Chong's perspective (uhhhh I'll post it when I have the time and energy to write).
> 
> In the meantime, I hope this was enjoyable! Thanks for reading!!


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